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  • Published: 11 August 2026
  • ISBN: 9781761358586
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 384

Quite the Pair




The debut adult novel from the award-winning author of Anything But Fine. A laugh-out-loud tale of friendship and finding yourself, set against the lively backdrop of New York City—perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton, Madeleine Gray and New Girl.

Two best friends. One apartment. Zero chance of this going to plan.

Austin and Sydney have been best friends since he moved into her shoebox apartment on West 49th Street over a decade ago. Now in their early thirties and living with their respective long-term partners, their lives in New York City are finally on track: Austin is performing on Broadway eight times a week, and Sydney is the VP comma Marketing at a lucrative tech startup. Everything is perfect. They’re so happy. (Right?)

But when both of their relationships implode on the same night, Austin and Sydney realise that things weren’t quite as perfect as they seemed, and that their only option is to move back in together.

The pair make a pact to use their new twelve-month lease to break the cycle of their toxic habits. For Austin, this means not falling in love with every man who so much as looks at him; and for Sydney, it means prioritising herself for possibly the first time in history.

But it’s not long before Austin’s resolve starts to crack—a gorgeous children’s book editor has absolutely nothing to do with that—and Sydney slips all too easily into old patterns, letting the shadow of Austin’s presence eclipse her own needs.

The question is: can people truly change? Or are these self-proclaimed soulmates doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over . . . and risk losing each other in the process?

  • Published: 11 August 2026
  • ISBN: 9781761358586
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 384

About the author

Tobias Madden

Originally from Ballarat, Tobias now lives in New York City with his husband and their Cavoodle. Tobias spent most of his life on stage, touring Australia and New Zealand with musicals such as Mary Poppins, CATS, and Guys and Dolls. These days, he works full-time in publishing, tends to his daily dog-dad duties, and runs laps around Central Park. In his spare time, he can often be found writing on the Metro North train to Beacon. Tobias’s award-winning debut young adult fiction novel, Anything But Fine, was published in 2021, followed by Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell and the CBCA Notable Book Wrong Answers Only. Quite the Pair is his first book for adults.

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